Food and Drink Federation - food industry company news 
EU: MEPs veto nutrition label claims
3 February 2012
European politicians have rejected plans that would have allowed food makers to use new nutrition claims, including that a product contains 15% less sugar.
GLOBAL: Food "ambassador" to promote UK exports
27 January 2012
A business "ambassador" will promote UK food and drink exports overseas under plans launched drawn up by industry and government.
UK: FSA plans more self-regulation on inspections
9 January 2012
The UK's Food Standards Agency is considering plans to reduce the type and frequency of inspections in a bid to target the worst offenders.
Best bits: UK food makers need support for success in 2012
19 December 2011
Research out this morning emphasised just how tough 2011 has been. The forecasts for 2012 do not look much brighter but the UK food industry is hoping next year will be the start of a fresh push for growth overseas - and it needs government to support it.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food last week
19 December 2011
Industry watchers have forecast further consolidation in the confectionery sector but there has been an absence of major deals in 2011 - until today, when Scandinavian candy makers Cloetta and Leaf International announced plans to merge. Elsewhere in Europe this week, Carrefour tabled a bid to buy French franchise partner Guyenne et Gascogne. Findus Group's French operations, meanwhile, grabbed the headlines with news that private-equity owner Lion Capital ended talks to sell the business to rival buy-out house Permira. And Diamond Foods' deal to buy snacks brand Pringles looks uncertain amid news that the SEC is to investigate crop payments made at the company.
UK: Leatherhead to fund study into salt reductions
16 December 2011
Scientists at Leatherhead Food Research are to co-fund investigation into how UK food manufacturers can further reduce salt in their products.
UK: UK needs to regain export initiative - FDF
15 December 2011
The UK food industry "needs to do more" to regain ground in export markets amid signs that the country is losing sales to competitors.
UK: Spelman pledges coalition support for industry growth
14 December 2011
UK food and farming secretary Caroline Spelman has pledged the coalition's "support" for a target drawn up by the country's food sector to grow by 20% by 2020.
UK: Tory MP issues warning over UK food security
14 December 2011
The UK's food supply chain is too exposed to outside shocks, a Conservative MP has warned.
UK: No immediate use of fines for UK grocery adjudicator
19 October 2011
The ombudsman being set up to monitor the relationship between suppliers and retailers in the UK will not immediately look to fine a supermarket should it break the code governing their dealings.
Quote, unquote: CAP reform proposals
14 October 2011
The EU's plans to reform the Common Agricultural Policy, a challenging task, has drawn criticism from most parts of the food sector.
Best bits: Sainsbury's strikes back in UK grocery battle
10 October 2011
The competition from the UK's deal-chasing consumers has stepped up a notch with Sainsbury's plan to roll outs its Brand Match price-comparison scheme, writes Dean Best.
UK: Cameron mulls 'fat tax' in UK
6 October 2011
UK Prime Minister David Cameron has said that the Government may look at introducing a 'fat tax'.
UK: UK food export sales grow in H1
6 October 2011
UK food export revenues grew 13% in the first half of 2011, according to data from the Food and Drink Federation.
UK: Grocery watchdog "needs power to fine" - MPs
29 July 2011
A UK government committee has called for changes to the to the bill creating an adjudicator for disputes between suppliers and retailers under the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.
Best bits: Nestle, Lactalis secure prized deals
11 July 2011
In the last 72 hours, Nestle and Lactalis have struck significant pieces of M&A, writes Dean Best.
Focus: Food market braced for another price spike
27 May 2011
The unprecedented dry weather conditions seen in the UK over the past few months have been replicated across other northern European countries, pushing up grain prices and greatly increasing the likelihood of further food price rises later in the year. Ben Cooper reports.
UK: Food, drink makers up spending on innovation
26 May 2011
UK food and drink manufacturers have increased their investment in innovation, with the latest figures from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) reporting that over 40% of companies launched new products in the first quarter.
UK: Food industry gives carbon targets cautious welcome
18 May 2011
The UK food industry has cautiously welcomed the Government's fourth "carbon budget" but maintained that meeting goals to cut emissions must not put the country at a competitive disadvantage globally.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week
15 April 2011
Flowers Foods, Supervalu Inc and Kraft Foods gave the top just-food headlines a distinctly American flavour this week. Flowers struck a deal to buy Tasty Baking, Supervalu, one of the largest grocers in the US, announced its annual results and Kraft said it was giving some of its smaller brands a marketing push. On this side of the pond, issues of reformulation and functional foods remained high on the industry's agenda. Click on on the headlines to find out more.
UK: DoH advances Responsibility Deal agenda
12 April 2011
The UK's Department of Health has revealed that it is working to develop the "second phase" of the Responsibility Deal, which promotes the government's national health agenda in cooperation with the food industry and voluntary sector.
UK: PepsiCo "in transition" to health and wellness platform
12 April 2011
PepsiCo is using reformulation and the development of healthier brands to strengthen its health and wellness agenda, a leading company nutritionist has indicated.
UK: Tesco adopts dual approach to private-label health
12 April 2011
Tesco has taken a dual approach to encouraging healthy eating, highlighting its "better for you" options and promoting "health through stealth" in its private-label lines to appeal to its wide customer base.
UK: Health "not important" to chocolate sector - Mintel
12 April 2011
Health is not a significant factor in driving chocolate category sales, research firm Mintel has suggested.
UK: Exemptions needed on EU FOP labelling regs - FDF
12 April 2011
Blanket European regulations requiring front of pack GDA, energy or nutrient labelling across all products - including items such as gifted chocolate and confectionery - would be an inappropriate measure, the UK's Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has suggested.
UK: Industry needs holistic approach to sustainability - FDF
31 March 2011
The UK's Food and Drink Federation has called on the food industry to take a holistic approach to reducing waste and improving efficiency.
Focus: Responsibility Deal gets off to a shaky start
25 March 2011
The UK government's Public Health Responsibility Deal was greeted sceptically by many campaigners when it was first unveiled last year. The announcement of the pledges themselves and the decision by the British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK not to endorse the Deal, Ben Cooper writes, have done little to dispel the air of cynicism that surrounds the policy.
UK: Dairy leads way in food export rise
14 March 2011
UK food and drink exports rose by more than 11% in 2010, driven by double-digit growth in shipments of dairy products, seafood, meat and prepared foods.
Best bits: Greencore pulls plug on Northern; Quorn Foods is born
14 March 2011
So, what now lies ahead for Greencore, the Ireland-based convenience food group?
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
11 March 2011
This week featured the surprise news that Morrisons acquired a stake in US online grocer Fresh Direct, while Greencore was outfoxed in its bid to acquire Boparan. Meanwhile just-food attended the Westminster Food and Nutrition Forum. Here's the best of what was said this week:
Related research
Breakfast Cereals Market Report
Breakfast cereals are an integral part of the British diet, and a key sector of the grocery market in the UK. The breakfast cereals market is made up of two main sectors: the ready-to-eat (RTE) sector, which consists of staples (including corn flakes and wheat biscuits), children’s, healthy and adult indulgence ranges; and the hot cereals sector, which consists of cereals that require some kind of preparation, such as porridge.
Ethnic foods 2011
This report forecasts that the total UK ethnic foods and rice market will show further growth in 2010 and 2011, with continuing demand for innovative and authentic ethnic foods causing suppliers to produce new products to attract further revenue. These new products typically receive heavy promotional support, with their launches usually accompanied by extensive advertising campaigns.
Frozen Foods Market Report
Sales of frozen foods rose by 3.6% in 2010, ending the year with a value of £5.29bn. Over Key Note’s total review period — 2006 to 2010 — the market grew by a total of 17.6%.
